


Sixth Year: The Promise of Violence

by Forgetticus



Series: Alignment [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Being Stupid, Boys Being Boys, Boys In Love, Feelings, Fist Fights, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hormones, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Smut, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 11:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12320352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Forgetticus/pseuds/Forgetticus
Summary: This is part of a collection of separate drabble stories that document the life and times of Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs.Sometimes doing something stupid means fixing your mistakes. Sirius wants to get back in the good graces of his friends no matter what.'Sirius crawled closer to him on the bed.“Yes, that's fun isn't it?” he said, his eyes twinkling. His hand ghosted over his friend's thigh, trying to keep Remus in a happy memory with him.'





	Sixth Year: The Promise of Violence

**Author's Note:**

> There are times when these stories overlap. Some form a retelling of how Snape finds out that Remus has his 'furry little problem'. 
> 
> Some are about friendship. Most are about Remus and Sirius. 
> 
>  
> 
> Enjoy.

 

Sirius wanted to be the first person that Remus saw when he woke up. 

 

He knew that Remus might remember small glimpses of what happened the night before, but not the whole story, and Sirius needed to be there to explain. It would sound so bad if someone else said it. He imagined the words they might use out loud.

 

_ Last night you almost killed Severus, and Sirius sent him to you in the first place. _

 

And that was technically true, but Sirius needed to make Remus see that he hadn’t thought of it that way at the time.

 

Sirius also just liked being the first person Remus saw when he woke up after a transformation. 

 

His fair haired companion always looked drained and pale, usually covered in lacerations and bruises that would take time to heal, even with the acceleration magic provided. But no matter how exhausted Remus was, or how gingerly he moved, he never looked as though he were in the grips of despair. His eyes burned bright through the dark circles that surrounded them, and his mouth slid easily into a playful smile, even when doing so opened a cut across his lip or strained his healing jaw. 

 

But it was already dark again and Remus still hadn't woken up. It reminded Sirius of the old days, before they understood the burden he carried, when he spent his fullmoon nights alone in that godforsaken shack. Back then Remus was left to tear himself up physically during the night, while the guilt and shame tore him up during the day. 

 

Remus hurting in any way made Sirius sick. He was overwhelmed by the memory of first time he found that dark, windowless house...found Remus alone, naked and bleeding on the floorboards. 

 

Sirius had only been ahead of Pomfrey by a few minutes, but he hadn't known that at the time. He rushed to scoop Remus into his arms as a feeling of helpless panic overwhelmed him. All he could do was rock him and whisper comforting words as he tried desperately to figure out what had happened and how to help. They were the longest few minutes of his life. 

 

Tingling nerves sent tremors down his fingers as he felt himself gripping Remus’s limp body in his memory. He shook out his hands and made a quick pass at the dining hall. He slipped away again after scarfing down a kidney pie, rolling a few fig tarts into a napkin and stuffing them in his pocket to bring as an offering. 

 

Sirius didn't bother checking the map or grabbing the cloak; he just walked quickly through the hallways, dodging teachers and friends as he slipped effortlessly through the hospital wing and into Remus’s secluded room.

 

“Moony, you’re awake,” Sirius said at the sight of his friend sitting up in bed, relief pouring out openly in his tone. It wasn't like with James; he didn't leave even an ounce of affection out of his voice when it came to Remus. Sirius climbed onto the bed, sitting across from him over the covers.

 

But Remus didn’t pull him closer, or even smile at him. He just sat facing forward. 

 

“I think you should go,” Remus said in a sad, tired voice. 

 

Sirius felt a crack in his chest. Was he in as much trouble as he feared?

 

“But...I have to talk to you,” he explained. 

 

“Dumbledore was just here.”

 

“Oh.’

 

_ Snape went to Dumbledore. The dirty rat... _

 

Remus looked up suddenly, and Sirius saw for the first time all day just how bright his eyes could be. 

 

“Why did you do that?” Remus demanded. 

 

Apparently Dumbledore had told the story just the way he was afraid someone would. Sirius put his hands up.

 

“Severus was being a prat; he was following me. It was just a prank.”

 

Remus was deathly quiet when he spoke. 

 

“He knows what I am now.”

 

“He pretty much already knew.” 

 

Sirius hoped his tone came off as reassuring and nonchalant.  

 

“He suspected,” Remus corrected him. “And instead of throwing him off course like we have been...you told him where to find me.”

 

It sounded so bad when he said it like that.  _ It kept sounding so bad.  _ But that wasn't what happened. Not really. 

 

“He was just being such a tosser. I was tired of him bothering us...harassing you. I wanted to scare him.”

 

“I could have killed him,” Remus seethed.

 

“You wouldn't have killed him, Moony. Don’t forget, I’m good friends with that you too. You are actually pretty great,” Sirius murmured, trying to downplay the danger Severus was in. 

 

But Remus did not seem consoled by his words. In fact, he looked very far away.

 

“You know, I remember some things about those nights. Just flashes. Feelings...sensory things. Like, when you and I…”

 

He trailed off, seemingly unable to finish his sentence, lost in the fragmented memories 

 

Sirius crawled closer to him on the bed 

 

“Yes, that's fun isn't it?” he said, his eyes twinkling. His hand ghosted over his friend's thigh, trying to keep Remus in a happy memory with him.

 

“Almost as fun as when we do it as people...”

 

Sirius leaned into his friends bruised neck, just a breath away from touching him. 

 

But Remus’s vision focused and he pulled back. He looked Sirius in the eye. 

 

“I was going to kill him. I remember that.”

 

Sirius sighed.

 

“I still don't think…” 

 

“No, you don't think!” Remus shot back, finally losing his temper. “You...you betrayed me.” 

 

The words hurt worse than any of the times Remus had sunk his teeth into him or drew blood with his sharp claws. Sirius had buried the guilt all day; he had covered it with layers of excuses and reasons and good intentions. But Remus’s words summoned it all back at once, and he couldn't help but feel the same exact way. And if he and Remus both felt it, then it must be true. 

 

Remus inched back painfully on the bed to put distance between them. 

 

“Now leave me alone, Sirius. By tomorrow, Snape will have told everyone and I'll probably be expelled...or lynched.”

 

Sirius slowly pulled away from his friend. The night before he was sure that he had only put Snape in danger. But really, it had been Remus.

 

“I’ll...just go. I’m sorry,” he whispered, slipping onto the floor.

 

Sirius took the napkin full of tarts out of his pocket and placed it carefully at the foot of the bed.  

 

He drifted quietly out of the room and through the hallways like one of the long-suffering apparitions that occupied the school. Dinner was ending, but he passed through the great hall anyway in hopes of finding James and Peter. He needed friendly faces, and he needed air. 

 

The scent of pumpkin spice and coffee filled his nostrils, telling him the house elves had already put out dessert. He spotted Peter and James situated in the center of a group of gryffindor girls, laughing with a very smug looking Lily Evans. 

 

“Hey,” Sirius called without stopping. “I need you both. Now.”

 

James shot Lily an apologetic look and quickly fell into step with Sirius, Peter catching up after scrambling to gather his books. 

 

“What's going on?” James asked quietly as they pushed through the doors to the darkened corridor that led to the lake. 

 

“Snape told Dumbledore.”

 

“WHAT?”

 

Sirius nodded. 

 

“Why, that slimy little toad,” Peter admonished. 

 

They rounded the hallway into a short, damp, stone passage. 

 

“Did you apologize to Remus yet?” James asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

Sirius pursed his lips and dug his hands into his pockets. The boys pushed through a set of large wooden doors and into the cool starry night. 

 

“You know what? At this point, I honestly wish he had killed…” 

 

Sirius fell silent. 

 

Not twenty feet away he spotted Severus Snape, leaning against a blackened tree trunk and staring off into the night sky. 

 

He felt a familiar feeling washing over his skin, seeping inside and flowing through him. It was just like when he transformed. His thoughts simplified, his senses heightened and his emotions spread out. He wasn't sure if James or Peter saw him by the tree, but Sirius lost his peripheral vision; he was completely attuned to the slytherin’s appearance. 

 

Snape’s greasy hair told him that he had no friends and nothing better to do than make trouble for Remus. 

 

His pressed uniform told him that he never did physical activity, unless it involved spying on Remus. 

 

Snape’s forlorn moue told Sirius that he himself might end up wearing that same expression permanently if he didn’t make certain that Snape never messed with Remus again. 

 

And if seeing a werewolf didn't put the fear of god in him, then Sirius would have to do it himself. 

 

The whole picture ignited his sorrow, anxiety, regret and fears into something that felt much more like a burning rage. His lungs opened and his muscles tightened as adrenaline flooded his nervous system. He heard James say something, but it only registered as sound in the distance. 

 

Sirius picked up his pace and walked with purpose ahead of his friends, his cells alight and tingling with the promise of violence. 

 

Severus saw him approaching seconds too late; he had barely brushed his fingers to his wand when Sirius disarmed him. 

 

James and Peter watched in awe as Sirius tossed his own wand into the grass. His whole body sang out with the unified desire to ignore his magic and instead allow his hands the honor of extracting the life from Snape’s body. 

 

Sirius crossed the space between himself and Severus, and in a single fluid moment, threw his weight behind a punch that connected with Snape’s nose. 

 

The slytherin shrieked and staggered back as Sirius advanced, landing two more blows to his face. Hot blood burned through Sirius’s veins, pulsing in his clenched fists, drowning any sense of reason. 

 

He swung again, but instead of his limbs flying forward as he intended, something caught his arm and dragged him back. 

 

“Bloody hell, get a hold of yourself, Black!” James whispered harshly in his ear, attempting to hold Sirius as his struggled. 

  
  
  


Severus picked himself up into a sitting position on the grass, stricken for a moment in shock. He touched his face, and then looked down at his pale hands; they were drenched in the blood from his broken nose. 

 

Snape could not fathom the idea that a pure blooded wizard had thrown down his wand to punch him. 

 

_ But of course Sirius Black would _ . He was unpredictable, crazy even. 

 

Pain radiated out from his cheek, and Snape’s face twisted into a snarl. He wiped dark red streaks onto his trousers and lifted his eyes to cast a look of disgust at his rival. 

 

“I know why you're really mad, you sodding prick,” Severus spat, fresh blood dribbling down his chin.

 

“Remus probably hates you for what you did...for putting his secret in my hands. And for almost saddling him with the guilt of killing me!”  

 

Sirius felt the words cut into him. He howled with rage and shoved James off, his murderous gaze still fixed on Severus. 

 

Seeing Sirius break free, Snape rushed to crawl backwards, but Peter jumped in and grabbed his friend before he could cover any ground.

 

James recovered as quickly as he could and shoved Sirius back, finally grabbing him under the arm. Even with their combined strength, James and Peter struggled to contain him. Sirius started screaming as he viciously fought to shake off his friends. 

 

“Don't you even think of telling anyone what you saw, Snivellus! If you sell Remus out, we'll all know who did it!” 

 

“Don't tell anyone? You mean like how you told me, you bloody idiot?! Lupin deserves better friends!” 

 

Another roar cut through the still night, and Snape flinched as Sirius almost broke free for a third time. 

 

“Take a breath, mate!” Peter panted. Sirius ignored him, undeterred.

 

“I swear, if you try to hurt Remus with this, if you even THINK about it, I will tear off your feeble stick legs and beat you to death with them!” 

 

Snape sneered at him, a large purple bruise blossoming his cheek and blood filling the cracks in his teeth. 

 

“Hurt Lupin?  _ You _ tried to use him to kill me!! I'll see you expelled!” 

 

Sirius spat on the ground before his feet and shook with fury, but he no longer seemed to be actively trying to escape from James and Peter. He hung in their grip leaning towards Severus, his voice dripping with venom. 

 

“Fine! You and I can drag each other through hell all day, I don't care, but give me  _ your word  _ that you will leave Remus out of it.” 

 

Snape looked more shocked than when he realized he was bleeding. He opened his mouth to whip a horrible remark back at Sirius, but he stopped mid-breath. 

 

Part of him wanted to use Remus to hurt Sirius; quid pro quo, it was only fair. But if he led them down that vengeful path, he knew it could easily become something he couldn't control. Sirius Black was too capricious. What if going after Remus in turn put Lily in the crossfire... 

 

“It’s just you and me,” Snape growled. 

 

Sirius nodded darkly and let his muscles relax. For the briefest moment, Severus wondered if Black felt the same way about Lupin as he did about Lily...if he even had the capacity to. 

 

Sirius tried again to shrug James and Peter off, and they reluctantly let him loose. The sound of rustling leaves and soft panting filled the silence. 

 

Sirius heard what he needed to hear. His anger ebbed and flowed away from him, leaving him sweating in the cool night air, a suffocating void where his hatred had just been. He snatched his wand out of the grass and turned from the other three boys in the direction of the lake, mumbling to himself and lighting a fag as he stalked away. 

 

James let out a breath and Peter dabbed his brow. 

 

Severus made no move to get up, but whispered _accio wand_ , the first and only wandless spell he was able to handle. He cast some basic healing spells and felt the painful tension in his nose and cheek subside. 

 

James crouched down, pulling up the sleeves of his sweater. 

 

“Don’t try to get Sirius expelled. You owe me… I saved your life last night.” 

 

Severus coughed a laugh. 

 

“Only because Sirius tried to kill me!”

 

“Don't be a prat. You already suspected that Remus...has his furry little problem. And Sirius just told you how you could find him. Merlin, it was a full moon! You  _ knew _ you ran the risk of finding a werewolf. You're lots of things, Snape, but you're not bloody stupid.”

 

Severus scowled at the truth of his words. 

 

He had been dying to know what they were up to, what secret they were keeping. He did suspect Remus...but he thought he could handle it. Until he really  _ saw _ .

“And we both know if I hadn't been there, Remus would have killed you. That means you owe me.”

 

Again, James’s words stung him. The sound Remus made when he spotted Severus and James arguing in the tunnel still rang in his ears. 

 

Severus remembered the way his limbs locked up when he realized the overwhelming truth of it; how massive, how terrifying such a beast really was. The monster frothed at the mouth, his eyes wild with bloodlust. Severus was totally unprepared to fight or outrun him. Remus surged towards them, and in that moment, James placed himself between the werewolf and Severus. 

 

“Run,” he whispered, and pushed Severus into a sprint.

 

All he saw over his shoulder as he fled was Potter jogging fearlessly towards the charging werewolf. Reverberating bangs and primal howls filled his ears as he clawed his way out of the roots below the whomping willow. 

 

“How  _ did _ you stop him?” Severus asked curiously, tapping his wand to remove the drying blood from his face. 

 

James rolled his eyes. 

 

“You really haven't learned a thing. Stop nosing about Remus...and all of us. And leave Sirius alone.” 

 

Severus felt his stomach balling into knots. He picked himself up from the ground, dusting himself off. James rose with him, casually flanked by Peter. 

 

A final, basic  _ scourgify  _ was all he needed to clean the smears of blood from his trousers, but his hands shook as he cast the spell. Severus had started off the day glowing with clarity and righteous anger, but now those feelings were dulled, confused. 

 

He couldn't stand the way it felt to choke down Potter’s reasonable words, the irrefutable truth about what had transpired. 

 

_ You knew  _ Potter had told him. 

 

_ If I hadn't been there, Remus would have killed you. _

 

James Potter had saved his life. It made him sick, twisted his thoughts. 

 

“Do you know Sirius and Remus’s  _ real _ secret?” Snape asked, the sneer back across his lips, his voice full of sinful implication. 

 

He knew he was lashing out, trying to make something ugly out of the love he thought he saw in Sirius just moments ago. He didn't know whether it was true, and he didn't even have a problem with that kind of love existing. He just couldn't stand the idea of being indebted to Potter; Severus needed to knock him off balance, like James had just done to him. 

 

But instead of seeing surprise, rage, shame or any of the emotions he expected to cloud Potter's stupid face, all his rival did was smirk. 

 

Worse, James and Peter made eyes and exchanged a knowing laugh.

 

“ _ That's _ not a secret,” Peter said with unfettered amusement. 

 

“Why, Snape,” James uttered slyly. “Not getting any from Lily Evans? Are you jealous?” 

 

Both boys laughed again, emboldened by the shade of scarlet Severus was turning. 

 

James shook his head and put his arm around Peter.

 

“Sirius is right. You really are a prick,” he said to Severus, his smile fading slightly.

 

Clouds passed over the nearly full moon, darkening the school grounds. Severus couldn't believe how low he had sunk. Twenty minutes ago he felt secure in the knowledge that at least he held the moral high-ground, but now...now he just felt like an arsehole. 

 

James turned himself and Peter towards the lake and followed the path that Sirius had taken. 

 

The sound of their laughter followed Severus for his entire trek back to the dungeons. 


End file.
